1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a disposable sterile drape with attached disposable sterile instruments for use in selected surgical procedures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Surgical drapes are used during surgical procedures to create and maintain a sterile environment around the surgical site. The surgical drape creates and maintains a barrier that minimizes the passage of microorganisms between non-sterile and sterile areas. To be effective, the drape material must be resistant to blood, aqueous fluid and abrasion as well as being lint free. As a result, the surgical drape prevents blood and other bodily fluids from contaminating the sterile field, i.e., the incision and the patient's skin surrounding the incision.
Surgical drapes were originally formed of cotton or linen and were sterilized after each use. More recently, disposable drapes have been utilized formed of paper or fabric.
The surgical drapes commonly have an incision opening formed therein known in the medical field as a fenestration through which the surgical procedure is performed.
After a patient has been anesthetized in an operating room, the surgical team individually places the various components of the sterile drape and the instruments required on the patient. That is, a sterile heat distributing pad is placed on the patient to keep the patient warm followed by sterile absorbent towels which are placed on the patient around the surgical field. Thereafter, the sterile drape is placed on the patient so that the incision opening is positioned over the surgical field. A cover for the incision opening which is impregnated with iodine to kill bacteria, is transparent and includes an adhesive on one side is attached to the drape adjacent to the incision opening. The cover is positioned over the surgical field whereby it adheres to the drape and to the patient's skin within the surgical field. Finally, the various sterile surgical instruments and connecting tubes or wires required to accomplish the surgical procedure are placed on the sterile drape one at a time. This procedure of preparing the patient for surgery in the operating room after the patient has been anesthetized involves a lengthy period of time. Typically, the patient preparation time can take as long as forty-five minutes during which the patient is anesthetized.
Thus, there is a need for a patient preparation procedure utilizing sterile drape components and sterile surgical instruments that does not require the anesthetized patient and surgical team to be in the operating room for a long period of time before surgery can be performed. In addition, there is a need for a sterile drape having the various components pre-attached to the drape whereby there is little or no handling of the components by technicians or others not familiar with the components and as a result, the sterility of the drape and components is insured. Finally, there is a need for a sterile drape whereby the tubes and wires connected to the various sterile surgical instruments are attached to the drape between sterile layers of the drape whereby the tubes and wires are not contaminated from below or above the drape.